1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for grounding electrical equipment and, more particularly, to a grounding stud assembly for providing a safe method of grounding a bus system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
During the inspection or repair of equipment, such as switchgear, safety practices require that all potentially "live" circuits be grounded using appropriate grounding devices and methods. If the switchgear is inadvertently energized during the inspection or repair and the equipment is not grounded, an operator may be seriously injured and the equipment may be damaged.
To connect the equipment to ground, a plurality of grounding studs are connected to the bus system of the equipment. To comply with applicable standards, such as creep or strike distances, the equipment to the environment may have to be mounted staggered or installed with barriers.
The grounding studs are insulated from the environment to prevent any inadvertent discharges from the equipment to the environment. To apply the grounding clamp to the grounding stud for grounding the equipment, the insulation must be removed from the grounding stud to expose the bare bus for applying the safety grounds. If the insulation utilized is tape, an operator must cut the tape from the bus joint exposing the operator to potentially live circuits.
There are several types of grounding studs and insulated covers. One such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,834 issued Jul. 17, 1990 to DeLeo entitled "Universal High Voltage Ground Stud Insulating System". The ground stud insulating system comprises a ground stud for receiving a ground clamp and having a threaded shank for fastening to a bus. A first insulative cylinder is arranged over the ground stud on one side of the load terminal bus and has an eyelet to facilitate the use of a "hotstick" by an operator to remove the first insulative cylinder from the ground stud. A second insulative cylinder is attached to the ground stud on the opposite side of the load terminal bus to prevent the formation of a discharge when the bus is energized. The first and the second cylinders having internal threads are attached to the ground stud by utilizing a plurality of washers having threads. However, to fully insulate the system, an insulated cylinder must be utilized on each side of the load terminal bus. Also, to remove the insulated cylinder to attach the ground clamp, the insulated cylinder must be unthreaded from the ground stud.
Therefore, what is needed is a grounding stud assembly which complies with the strike and creep distance requirements of the applicable standards, which can be utilized at either a cable termination or at a bus splice joint, and which conveniently facilitates grounding the equipment at a safe working distance.